Jul 16, 2026
At the recent NATO summit in Ankara, renewed US-Iran strikes and Turkey's push to rejoin the F-35 stealth fighter program overshadowed the Alliance's message of unity and a strong European pillar. MEI Senior Fellow Iulia Joja joins host Alistair Taylor to unpack the summit — what it achieved, what got left off the...
Jul 9, 2026
US President Donald Trump
recently proposed that Syria intervene militarily against Hizballah
in Lebanon. Is that a good idea? This episode of Middle
East Focus features a recent MEI Virtual Briefing.
Director of Communications Zeina Al-Shaib is joined by Ambassador
David Hale, MEI Distinguished Diplomatic Fellow and...
Jul 2, 2026
After the US-Israel-Iran
war — and the strikes that followed the cease-fire — the Gulf
states find themselves dangerously exposed. Host Alistair Taylor is
joined by MEI Associate Fellow Gregory Gause to discuss the war's
impact on the Gulf, their partnership with the United States, and
whether the turmoil of recent...
Jun 25, 2026
After nearly four months of
war, the US and Iran have signed a 14-point memorandum of
understanding declaring the conflict over, reopening the Strait of
Hormuz, and beginning talks toward a final deal. Alan Eyre, MEI
Distinguished Diplomatic Fellow and a core member of the 2015 JCPOA
negotiating team, joins host...
Jun 18, 2026
When the Strait of Hormuz
closed in March, fertilizer prices spiked within weeks, triggering
a food security crisis across North Africa and the Sahel. Host
Alistair Taylor is joined by MEI Senior Fellow Intissar Fakir to
explore what it means for the region, unpack the link between food
security and regional stability,...